Photographic film developing tank



R. L. ALTSCHULE R ET AL 2,507,238

PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM DEVELOPING TANK 5 Sheets-Sheet l Ill 2! Robert L. Alfschuler Herman Alfschuler May 9, 1950 Filed March 18, 1947 y 1950 R. ALTSCHULER ET AL 2,507,238

PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM DEVELOPING TANK Filed March 18, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 2.

Robert L. A/fschuler Herman A/fschuler 2 WWW? 6,5

y 9, 1950 R. 1.. ALTSC-HULER ET AL 2,507,233

PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM DEVELOPING TANK 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 18, 1947 Roberf L. A/fschu/er Herman A/fschuler B) 2A1! and W Mn 1 E I, Atorneys Patented May 9, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PHOTOGRAPHIC FILM DEVELOPING TANK Robert L. Altschuler and Herman Altschuler, Bronx, N. Y.

Application March 18, 1947, Serial No. 735,408

I 4 Claims.

This invention relates to developing apparatus and has for its primary object to hold a strip of film in a developing tank, in spaced convolutions so as to allow the developer to be circulated through and to reach all surfaces of the film.

Another object is to avoid the necessity of the person developing a film of remaining in a dark room during the developing process.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features a tank adapted to contain developing solution, a magazine at one side of the tank for holding a roll of film to be developed, a pair of spaced convclute supports in the tank upon which the film from said roll is adapted to be wound in spaced convolutions, and means to hold the outer convolutions of the spiral supports out of film supporting and engaging position while the film is being wound on the inner convolutions thereof.

Other features include means operable from the exterior of the tank to rotate both film supports in unison.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a developing tank embodying the features of this invention;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1. showing the film about to be wound in spaced convolutions on the support;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the film almost completely Wound upon the suppo Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 44 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the line 55 of Figure 3;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the film supporting unit;

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along the line 1-'| of Figure 2;

Figure 8 is a top plan View of the developing apparatus illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along the line 9-4? of Figure 2;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary sectional View taken substantially along the line lit-l of Figure 3, and

Figure 11 is a perspective view of the film engaging clip by which the inner end of the film is attached to the film support.

Referring to the drawings in detail, our im' proved developing apparatus comprises a body or case l provided with a relatively large developing liquid containing chamber it which opens outwardly through the top wall of the case l5 as will be readily understood upon reference to the drawings. Formed at one end of the case I5 is an extension El and opening through the top of the extension in spaced relation to the chamber I8 is an opening 18 forming a magazine or receptacle for a roll of film to be developed. A cover I9 is hinged as at 20 to the end of the case opposite the extension ll. Formed in the case immediately below the point at which the cover is hinged and extending through the end wall thereof is an overflow opening 2|, and formed in opposite side walls of the case near the extension I 1 are similar overflow openings 22. Formed adjacent opposite ends of the case and projecting downwardly-from the bottom wall thereof are feet 23, and formed on the case intermediate the feet and projecting slightly below the wall most ends thereof is a rocker 24. Projecting outwardly from opposite sides of the case and coinciding with the lower end of the rocker are stabilizing members 25 which prevent the case from tipping laterally during the rocking thereof while a film is being developed. Formed in one side of the case l5 and opening outwardly therethrough is a shaft receiving opening 26 which is equipped with a suitable packing gland 21 to form a liquidtight joint with the shaft to be more fully hereinafter described. Opening into the opposite side wall of the case in axial alignment with the opening 26 is a socket 28 which forms a bearing for the opposite end of the shaft above mentioned.

An internally screw threaded drain opening 29 opens through one side of the case near the bottom of the rocker 24 and communicates at its inner with a sump 30 formed in the case at the bottom of the chamber l6 as will be readily understood upon referenoe to Figures 2, 3 and 5. The cover I!) is formed substantially midway between opposite sides and ends, with an opening 3|, and formed on opposite sides of the cover [9 are depending flanges 32 which are adapted to overlie the upper edges of the side walls of the case [5 in order to form a light tight junction therewith. A depending head 33 is formed on the underside of the cover I9 and extends transversely thereof adjacent the end remote from the pivot 20 to form a clamp lug by means of which a roll of undeveloped film in the chamber l8 may be firmly held in place and formed in the cover intermediate the opening 3| and the pivot 20 is a filling opening 34 by means of which developing liquid may be introduced into the device. Suitable light shields 35 and 36 are formed on the underside of the cover 19 near the pivot 20 and in such a position as to prevent the passage of light through the filling opening 3 5 into the chamber l6 when the cover is closed. These light shields are so arranged that they do not obstruct the free flow of liquid through the filling opening and into the chamber as will be readily understood upon reference to Figures 2 and 3. Depending from the underside of the cover l9 adjacent opposite sides thereof and intermediate the opening 3! and the transverse rib 33 are light shields 31 which when the cover is closed prevent light entering the chamber 56 through the openings 22. These shields 3! are formed with grooves 38 which extend parallel with the cover H) to coincide with the openings 22 so that even though no light may enter the case 85 through the openings 22, the free flow of liquid out of the openings is maintained.

In order properly to support a film within the chamber is for development we provide a film support designated generally 39. This film support comprises a substantially rectangular frame composed of spaced parallel side bars Ml joined at their upper and lower ends by spacers or cross bars 4! and 42 respectively. The uppermost spacer or cross bar ll is provided intermediate its ends with an upwardly extending guide'lug 43 which when the device is in use is adapted to extend through the opening 3! to hold the upper end of the frame in proper place in the chamber it. The lower end of the frame is seated in the sump 3|! and the bar s2 is formed with a drain opening 44 through which liquid from the chamber l5 may be discharged when the opening 29 is clear. Mounted for rotation in openings formed substantially midway between the upper and lower ends of the side bars 40 is a sleeve or tubular member 45 carrying a hub 46 to opposite ends of which are attached as by attaching screws 41 discs 48. These discs are formed with convolute incisions 49 through which the side bars 50 pass as will be readily understood upon reference to the drawings. The free end 50 of the outermost convolution of each disc 48 remains at all times outside of the space defined by the side bars 40 and the bore of the sleeve 45 is provided with a longitudinally extending key slot 5| for a purpose to be more fully hereinafter explained. The opening through the sleeve 45 aligns axially with the opening 26 and socket 28 when the frame of the film reel 39 is in place in the chamber lb of the case l5, and it will thus be seen that a shaft 52 carrying a hand crank 53 and a key 54 may be entered into the developing device through the opening 26 by removing the packing gland 21, and when the parts are thus assembled the sleeve 45 and discs 48 will rotate in unison when the hand crank 53 is rotated.

Secured to the discs 48 near the hubs 46 and extending transversely therebetween is a tie bar 55 carr'ying a clip 56 in which the end of a'film to be developed is clamped.

In use it will be understood that a magazine 57 containing the film to lee developed in the form of a roll is inserted in the chamber [8 and the end of the film is then passed over the partition separating the chambers I3 and i8 and into the chamber 18. The end of the film is then introduced between the side bars so of the film holder and reeling device 39 and clamped in the clip 56. The cover I9 is then closed and the developing liquid is then introduced into the chamber l8 through the filling opening 34. The chamber is filled until developing liquid flows out of one of the overflow openings 2| or 22 after which the hand crank 53 is rotated to unwind the film from the magazine 51 and cause it to ride on the edges of the convolutions of the discs 48 between the side bars 40 as suggested by the dotted lines in Figure 6. As the discs 48 are rotated it will be evident that the film will be wound thereon in spaced convolutions as illustrated in Figure 3 until the film in the magazine has been exhausted. Upon gently rocking the case IE on the rocker 24 it will be evident that the liquid contained therein will be agitated and all surfaces of the film will be contacted by the liquid with the exception of those adjacent opposite side edges thereof which rest on the convolutions of the discs. When the treatment has been completed, the cover I9 may be swung about its pivot 20 and the frame and discs 38 may be removed from the chamber l6 through the open top thereof so as to permit the film easily to be unwound for subsequent treatment. The unwinding of the film automatically resets the film support into a position for a repeat operation. It will be understood, of course, that the shaft 52 is extracted from the sleeve 45 and case 15 prior to the removal of the film support 39 from its position in the chamber [6.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What we claim is:

1. In developing apparatus for strip films, a liquid containing tank having an open upper end, a cover mounted on the open end of the tank in closing relation thereto, said cover having an inlet channel communicating with the tank, battles in said channel, a frame vertically mounted in the tank, said cover having an opening, a lug on the frame disposed in said opening for holding the frame spaced from the walls of the tank, a hub rotatably carried transversely by the frame, a disc fixed to each end of the hub and having convolute incisions therein to form a convolute strip for holding a strip of film thereon in spaced convolutlons within the tank, means for rotating said hub, and a chamber in the upper end of said tank for receiving a film spool, said cover closing off the chamber to hold the spool therein.

2. In developing apparatus for strip films, a liquid containing tank having an open upper end, a cover mounted on the open end of the tank in closing relation thereto, a frame mounted vertically in the tank, means for locking the frame in the tank, a hub rotatably journalled transversely in the frame, a pair of discs received on the opposite ends of the hub and rotated thereby within the frame, each of said discs being formed with convolute incisions to form a convolute strip for holding a stri of film, means for rotating the hub to wind the film strip in convolutions between the discs and baflied inlet means formed on the cover for introducing fiuid into the tank while excluding light.

3. In developing apparatus for strip films, a liquid containing tank having an open upper end, a cover mounted on the open end of the tank in closing relation thereto, a frame mounted vertically in the tank, means for locking the frame in the tank, a hub rotatably journalled transversely in the frame, a pair of discs received on the opposite ends of the hub and rotated thereby within the frame, each of said discs being formed with convolute incisions to form a convolute strip for holding a strip of film, means for rotating the hub to wind the film strip in convolutions between the discs and. baiiled inlet means formed on the cover for introducing fluid into the tank while excluding light, said tank having a recess formed internally on one of its walls and said last mentioned means including a chute depending from an opening formed in the cover, said chute terminating in communication with the recess upon placement of the cover on the tank and battles for said chute.

4. In developing apparatus for strip films, a liquid containing tank having an open upper end, a cover mounted on the open end of the tank in closing relation thereto, a frame mounted vertically in the tank, means for locking the frame in the tank, a hub rotatably journalled transversely in the frame, a pair of discs received on the opposite ends of the hub and rotated thereby within the frame, each of said discs being formed with convolute incisions to form a convolute strip for holding a strip of film, means for rotating the hub REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 15 834,463 Fennell Oct. 30, 1906 2,073,978 Smith, Jr. Mar. 16, 1937 2,345,682 Neuwirth Apr. 4, 1944 FOREIGN PATENTS 20 Number Country Date a 502,780 Germany June '7, 1929 600,567 Germany July 25, 1933 

